Dover

Dover's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in average age, work life and housing tenure.

The population passed 110,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Dover increased by 6.8%, from just under 105,000 to 112,000.

The addition of just over 7,100 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Dover was home to, on average, 2.5 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Dover

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Dover increased by four years, from 40 to 44 years.

This seaside area had a higher average age than the South East and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 4,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 13% of people in Dover are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Dover by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Dover working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 11% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.8% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South East. The improvement brought health in Dover close to the regional average 11% in the South East described their health as good in 2011).

Long hour working in Dover decreased by 4.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Dover, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Dover saw the South East's second-largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in Dover had an unmarried couple, compared with 8.1% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person increased from 30% to 32%.

Across the region, only Southampton saw a greater rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple (from 8.9% to 11%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Dover increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Dover, the South East and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Dover saw the South East's third-largest fall in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just over one in four (26%) households in Dover had at least one dependent child, compared with 29% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 63% to 64%.

Across the region, only Hastings (from 29% to 26%) and Fareham (from 30% to 28%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of households with children.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South East

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Dover

The percentage of Dover residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.3% to 4.3% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.0%, while the percentage of Dover residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

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